Improvement in window-shade fixtures



D; GRIFFIN.

WINDOW SHADE FIXTURES. No.178,001. Patented. May 30,1876.

NJEI'ERS. PHOTO-LI'IHDGRAPHER, WASHINGTON. D C.

UNITED STATES PATENT Orrroa DANIEL GRIFFIN, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF HIS RIGHT TO MATTHIAS HEIM, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN WINDOW-SHADE FIXTURES.

, Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 178,001, dated May 30, 1876; application filed December 29, 1875.

of brackets, swinging hangers, cords, and tension devices, whereby a single roller is made available for operating a flexible window-shade in such a manner as to admit light either through the upper or lower part of the window, as hereinafter more fully described.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved shade in condition for being wound upon the elevated roller. Fig. 2 is a perspective view, showing the roller in the act of descending and winding the shade upon it. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the brackets and its accessories detached from the window-frame. Fig. 4 is an elevation of one of the brackets, the roller being shown in the act of being elevated and its journal in contact with the swinging hanger.

'Fig. 5 is another elevation of the bracket, the

roller being completely elevated and about to be seated in its bearing in theswinging hanger. Fig. 6 shows the roller disengaged from the hanger and in the act of descending.

A represents the frame of a window, to whose upper portion are secured two brackets, B B, having, respectively, pivots b b for the support of swinging hangers G C. These hangers are notched, respectively, at c c, which notches or recesses serve as bearings for the journals of the curtain-roller, as will presently appear. These fixed brackets are provided, respectively, with horizontal flanges -D D and downwardly-projecting tapering tongues 61 d, which latter areabout in line with the bearings c c. Secured to the bracket B are two rods, E E, having at their lower ends eyes or rings e e,

' which serve as guides for the cord that is employed for windin g the curtain around the elevated roller. F F represent the convex or exposed surfaces of the hangers O O, and ff the concave or concealed surfaces of the same. G represents the'curtain-roller, said roller being furnished with two journals or gudgeons, g g, of such dimensions as to be readily seated in the notches c c. Attached to this roller is one end of the curtain or shade H, whose other end has a light rod or rail, 1, secured to it. This rail, however, acts merely as a stretcher to keep the curtain distended, and it has. nothing whatever to do with raising or lowering the shade. a circumferential groove, J, and at the other end two similar grooves, J K. Of these grooves the ones J J receive the cord wherewith the shade is lowered, while the groove K is adapted to sustain the tension of the hoisting-cord. L represents the lowering-cord, one end of which is secured to the shank of ring-eye M, after which said cord is passed around the groove J and then carried back i and through said eye. The cord is then passed through a central ring-eye, N, and allowed to descend as far as may be necessary, when it is again passed through said eye N. The cord is finally passed through another eye, M,

thence around the groove J, and its end se- 1 cured to the shank of said ring-eye M. O

represents an adjustable stop, which may be temporarily secured at any suitable position along the cord L. This stop may consist of a bead or spherical button with the cord rove through its central aperture, and then secured with a knot or otherwise. The appliance for winding the curtain upon the elevated roller consists of an endless cord, band, or tape, P, which is passed through the guides c e and engaged with a lever, B, or its equivalent tension device. This lever is furnished with a tooth or pawl that engages with a segmentrack, S.

The cord may pass through. an aperture in lever P, or it may be rove around a sheave journaledin said lever.

To illustrate the action of my improvements, I

I will suppose that. the roller G is elevated and its journals 9 g seated in the bearings co, the

'window being completely concealed by the shade H, as shown in Fig, 1. If, now, it should be desired to wind up the curtain on said roller so as to admit light through the lower portion of the window, the lever B is depressed,thereby drawing the cord P comparatively tight.

The eyes 6 c act as guides to direct the cord around the upper portion of groove K, and the The single roller G has at one end i tension of said cord tion of roller G the moment the band P is- SllffiCBS t0 cause a rotadrawn down, as indicated by the arrow. The shade H can now be wound upon or uncoiled from roller G in precisely the same manner as an ordinary window-curtain, the cord L being inoperative in this condition of the elevating devices.

I To lower the roller G, and at the same time wind the curtain around it, so as to admit light through the upper part of the window, the following manipulations are necessary: The lever B is first disengaged from segment-rack S and then elevated so as to slacken the cord P, as seen in Fig.2. The cord L isthen pulled gently, so as to elevate the roller G a slight distance above the bearings c c, which act brings the journals 9 g in contact with the tongues 01 6?. Owing to the peculiar shape of these tongues, and alsoto the location of the points of attachment M M, the roller is deflected toward the frame A, the flanges D D acting as guides for this purpose, and at the same time serving to prevent the roller being entirely disengaged from the brackets B B by this upward stress of cord L. The moment the operator feels that this upward movement of the roller has been checked, he slackens the cord L, so as to allow the roller to descend gradually. This descent is effected by the journals 9 g passing down behind the swinging hangers O O and being brought in contact with the concave facesff of the same, as seen in Fig. 6. As the roller descends, the hangers O G swing away from frame A, so as to allow the gudgeons g g to pass. This descent of the roller and coiling of the curtain continue until the stop or knotO comes in eye N, which contact arrests the rotation of said roller and maintains the curtainin such a position as to allowlight to enter at the upper part of the window.

It is evident that by properly locating the contact with the centralv stop 0 the roller may be allowed to descend a greater or less distance from the top of the window; or,if preferred, the curtain may first be raised a suitable distance from the bottom and then lowered from the top, so as to admit light both from aboveand below.

To restore the rollerG to its original position; in bearings o 0, the cord L, is pulled down, thereby elevating said roller and unwinding the curtain from it. When sufficiently elevated, the journals 9 g ride up the crowningfaces F F of the swinging hangers G O, and, after traversing said faces, these journals enter the space between the flangesD D,tongues d d,.and cavities 0 c, as seen in Fig. 5. The flanges D D and tongues d d now act as stops to prevent any further elevation of the roller,

- and as soon as the latter is thus arrested the operator relaxes his hold of cord L, and the journals 9 g at once drop into their appropriate bearings 0 0. While the roller is in contact with the inclines F F no swinging movement of the hangers G 0 occurs, because their rear or vertical edges are then brought to bear against the face of the bracket-ears, as represented in Figs. 4 and 5.

I claim as my invention I l. The combination of fixed bracketsB bB b, swinging hangers O 0 O c, flanges D D,tongues d d, roller eyes M M N, or their equivalents, for the purpose described.

2. In combination with the detachable and adjustable rollerGr g gJ J and its accessories B b B b, 0 00 c, D Dd d, and L'M M N, the guides e E e, groove K, cord P, and tension devicesR S, for the purpose stated.

In testimony of which invention I hereunto set my hand.

. DANIEL GRIFFIN. Attest:

' JAMES H. LAYMAN, MATTHIAS HEIM.

G g 9 J J, operating-cord L, and. 

